Busy As A Carpenter Bee

One of the few things my Mom asked for this year was really a gift for Dad. An old birdfeeder he had made was finally falling apart ... could I make him a replacement?

The old one was nothing more than a square top and bottom made of plywood with hole in the top for adding seed. A paintcan lid pinned by a nail swivelled back and forth to cover the hole in the roof. His was surrounded by wire in an attempt to keep the squirrels out ... but over the years, they have surrendered to the squirrel cuteness factor and actually feed them.
The wire didn't keep them out anyway, there was always a squirrel sitting inside that feeder.

So, I left the wire off when I made the replacement feeder above. I kept the hole in the top concept in case they ever wanted to wrap wire around it again.
I also made mine round instead of square as Junior had recently smacked his head on the old one as he chased Bear past the old grapefruit tree on which it hangs.

I made this one quick, it is functional, but no work of art. The three cedar uprights are from a cedar log that has been perched in my barn rafters, just waiting for a use.

Only ... it wasn't really waiting all that time.


Somebody else was using it.

When I cut the cedar into the 3 ten inch pieces I needed, I sliced right into their tunnel system.

Above is a view inside lit only by the light coming in a side entrance hole.

I find it pretty astounding the way they bore through wood. They seemed to prefer the red heartwood as only the entry tunnels ran through the white sapwood.

Seems odd to me ... isn't heartwood the hardest part?

A little to the side and they could have avoided the heartwood all together.

Cedar is generally known to be one of the more bug and rot resistant woods also, so it's curious that they would choose this type of wood for a nest.

As I handled the pieces for a photo, an irritated buzzing began from deep inside the log.

It wasn't long before a really grouchy carpenter bee emerged and flew off. I suppose that may be bad news for him ... being kicked out of your den in the dead of winter is probably not a good thing.

Turn up you volume to get an ear full of bee swearing.

If you speak bee, you don't need me to explain what's beeing said (heehee). I won't be translating due to the family safe nature of Pure Florida.